Tendai Muererwa
MUTARE-The City of Mutare is stepping up efforts to tackle youth unemployment and promote local economic development through the launch of the Mwaka Innovation Hub in Chikanga, a facility designed to turn young people’s ideas into viable businesses and sustainable sources of income.
The hub, officially commissioned by Mutare Mayor Councillor Simon Chabuka, seeks to strengthen youth entrepreneurship by providing practical business skills, mentorship and access to innovation facilities, with a focus on agriculture, information and communication technology (ICT) and the creative arts. The initiative comes as local authorities seek to expand economic opportunities for young people, strengthen small businesses and promote food production as part of broader efforts to improve livelihoods and stimulate urban economic growth.
Powered by Hivos, the Humanist Institute for Development Cooperation, Urban Futures, the City of Mutare, Simukai and other development partners the hub provides a platform for young entrepreneurs to develop business concepts, improve their products and explore opportunities to expand their enterprises.
Its agricultural innovations include peanut butter processing, marula fruit jam production and sustainable urban farming techniques such as vertical farming, water harvesting, water purification and irrigation systems.
These activities are expected to promote local food production, value addition and the productive use of available resources, while equipping young people with skills to establish businesses that can generate income and create employment.
The facility based at Chikanga Youth Centre, also provides ICT and arts innovation opportunities, digital marketing facilities and a boardroom where young people can develop and incubate business ideas.
The digital marketing component is particularly important for emerging enterprises seeking to promote their products, reach customers beyond their immediate communities and compete in an increasingly technology driven marketplace. By combining practical training with business mentorship and innovation facilities, the hub seeks to bridge the gap between skills development and entrepreneurship, giving young people an opportunity to translate their knowledge and creativity into viable economic activities.
Speaking after touring an exhibition by young entrepreneurs, Councillor Chabuka encouraged business owners to formalise their enterprises to improve their prospects for growth and contribute to national economic development. Formalisation can help small businesses operate more sustainably and position themselves to access wider markets and available business support opportunities.
The Mayor also encouraged young people living with disabilities to take advantage of the mentorship and enterprise development opportunities offered through the hub, emphasising the importance of inclusive participation in economic activities.
Beyond employment creation, the initiative is expected to contribute to poverty reduction by encouraging self-employment and supporting young people to develop sustainable sources of income. The programme also seeks to promote healthier lifestyles through food-related innovations and help address social challenges, including drug and substance abuse, by providing constructive economic opportunities for young people.
However, the long term impact of the initiative will depend on its ability to provide sustained mentorship, connect entrepreneurs to markets and ensure that emerging businesses can access the resources needed to grow beyond the start up stage.
The City of Mutare has continued to prioritise youth development programmes aimed at encouraging self reliance and reducing dependence on limited formal employment opportunities.
The local authority’s Director of Housing and Community Services revealed that the council had allocated US$1 million towards small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in its 2027 financial budget, signalling its commitment to supporting business development.
The allocation presents an opportunity to strengthen the local business ecosystem by supporting emerging enterprises, although its impact will depend on how the funds are deployed and the number of businesses that benefit.
The Mwaka Innovation Hub is therefore positioned as part of Mutare’s broader local economic development efforts, with the potential to link youth skills development to enterprise creation, agricultural value addition and employment generation. Its success will ultimately be measured by the number of sustainable businesses established, jobs created and young people empowered to participate meaningfully in the local economy.
